


Fit for Society

by tiniestdormouse



Category: Pandora Hearts
Genre: F/M, Family, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, One-Shot, Short & Sweet, hints of future Levi/Lacie, mentions of sex but nothing really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-18
Updated: 2013-01-18
Packaged: 2018-01-05 10:09:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1092643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tiniestdormouse/pseuds/tiniestdormouse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Lacie turns fifteen, she has only one wish: a coming-of-age ceremony.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fit for Society

**Author's Note:**

> I refer to Levi as "Glen" since this is from Lacie's PoV mostly, and takes place during her youth.

Very few rules were enforced within the Baskerville household, and Glen was especially lenient toward the sole occupant of the Tower. The year Lacie turned fifteen, she demanded one thing and one thing only for her birthday, and the man didn’t hesitate to indulge her. 

“I want a coming of age ceremony.”

“Oh?” Glen asked, combing through her hair. A handmaiden’s chore elevated to a lover’s pleasure, though Lacie remained untouched by his desire. Untouched, but certainly not untainted – she chose to give her virginity the first time she ran away two years ago in a pique of teen rebellion. The Baskerville leader had laughed joyfully at her initiative when she returned, red-cheeked and chin lifted in youthful defiance. He had told her then, “I’m sure you wanted to practice before we experiment together,” and taught her ways to protect her womb and health for future dalliances. Letting the fine dark hairs slip through his fingers he wondered if this was the birthday when she considered herself well-practiced enough for him.

“You said I could have anything I desired. I want to be considered fit for society, like you and Oswald.”

“I see…” Glen lowered his brush and wound his bare hands in her hair. “Society’s not as it’s cracked up to be.” She smelled of deep musk and bitter cloves and the scent seemed to stain his fingers with their intensity.

Both of them knew that Children of Misfortune were not honored with such ceremonies, since the Baskervilles intentionally sheltered their entire lives away from the world. Perhaps seeing Oswald’s lavish gala last year had planted the seed of envy inside this young woman. Or that her stolen adventures outside the estate walls that Glen overlooked were not enough to satisfy her.

“But then you will be obligated to do all the things young people must do when they come of age,” he said teasingly. “Like put up your hair in the fashion of nobles.” Deftly, he began to braid her hair with experienced fingers. An old memory of the Baskerville leader before him guided his motions and he recalled the gentle touch of her hands as she taught him how to maintain his locks in the same way she did. The southern woman’s unique hair braids was the only thing he carried away from his past life before he became Glen. 

“Maybe I will then. And I’ll pierce my ears too and wear beautiful jewels in them like proper adults do.”  Lacie gazed at her reflection as the thick circlet of black hair worked its way around her scalp.

Glen chuckled. “Oh, you’ll despise all of the formalities soon enough.”

Despite the winter snows that graced the lawn of the estate, the ball that was held two weeks later espoused all the warmth and beauty of a summer day. Bright lanterns glowed against the early night’s darkness, and the color scheme was in the buttery yellows and golds that Lacie wanted to adorn the world in. Greenhouse trees rich with dripping fruit were brought into the ballroom to imitate some sort of tropical garden, and Glen brought in foreign birds of paradise to flutter from branches overhead.

Lacie dressed in her first ladies gown of deep red and purples and trotted barefoot as the household guards each brought her flowers for her hair and tiny, jet-colored plumes to hang from the golden circlet at her waist. No actual members of society could come to this special “coming of age ceremony,” especially since no one but the royal family and the Baskervilles were even aware of her existence. Oswald, ever the considerate brother, took Lacie for her first waltz across the marble floor and many more men and women took their turns dancing with the beautiful lass, all laughing and smiling at her enthusiasm.

Glen stood in the shade near the back of the room, watching with a bemused smile as all the braids he had placed in her hair slowly became undone during the course of the night. At first, he thought that his styling hadn’t held, until he caught her pale hands flitter about her head as she had undid them between dances. Finally, at the end of the night, she came to him, rosy and breathless from exertion and her long hair a wavy cape of midnight down her back.

“What kind of lady disregards her appearance so?” he tsked, arching an eyebrow.

“You did them too tight,” she pouted. “I was getting a headache. Besides,” and she grabbed both his hands in hers, pulling him out to the center of the room. She spun them around in circles like children at play, her hair a flag unfurling in the breeze of her own momentum. “I may be an adult now, but I’m no lady.”


End file.
